Roundabout



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ROUNDABOUT. No. 489,238. Patented Ja,11. 3, 1893.

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ROUNDABOUT. No, 489,238. Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

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W. SOMBRS. ROUNDABOUT.

No. 489,238. Patented Jan. 3, 18-93.

Rms PETERS co, PHOTO-LIIHO.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SOMERS, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.

ROUNDABOUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 489,238, dated January3, 1893.

Application filed October 28, 1891. fierlal No. 410,110. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SOMERS, a resident of Atlantic City, in thecounty of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Roundabouts; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of the invention in sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a side view of the drivinggear. Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the belt tightener. Fig. 6 is adetail of the brake. Figs. 7 and 8 are details illustrating theconstruction of the hub. Figs. 9 and 10 are details showing theconstruction of the rims, and Figs. 11 and 12 are details showing themanner of suspending the carriers.

This invention has relation toimprovements in roundabouts, and itconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts ashereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates a circularwheel-like frame, carried upon a horizontal axis, and designed torevolve in a vertical plan e. The shaft or axle of the wheel is providedwith bearings 19 in any suitable supporting frame B.

The frame A is shown as consisting of the two parallel annular rings orrims O, C, of equal diameter and spaced laterally from each other, asshown. Said rims are supported from the hub or axial portions by theradial arms or spokes D, suitably connected and braced to insure properstrength. Connect ing the rims O, C is a series of transverse bars orshafts E, located at intervals from each other and extending around theentire circnmference of the wheel or frame. From each of these bars isvertically suspended a suitable carrier or seat F by means of rods,links, or cables 1-1, 11, secured to said carriers or seats at theirlower ends, and at their upper ends having loose hearings on the bars.As the wheel or frame is revolved, said carriers or seats are carriedtherewith, and by reason of their loose bearings on the bars 1),

will at all times keep their vertical suspension whatever may be therelative position of the frame. The distance between the rings or rimsG, C is sufficient to allow the seats to swing between them and to passtherethrough, and the distance between the bars D, is also sufiicient topermit the seats to swing between them. If it is desired to provide amachine of a larger carrying capacity, an additional rim or rims may beprovided, together with an additional series ofseats or carriers.

An important feature of the invention resides in the driving gear, thearrangement of which will now be described. In the peripheral edge ofeach rim is a continuous surrounding groove e, in which runs one of theendless parallel belts or cables K. bles pass down on their respectivesides and several times around the grooved wheels L, L, of the drivinggear. They are held to the grooves in the rims by means of the idlerpulleys or wheels Z, Z respectively. The idler wheels are hung in theboxes P, which are adjustable vertically in their supports P, by meansof the screws 13, bearing in brackets 10 and engaging said boxes,whereby any excess of slack in the cables may be taken up to preventtheir slipping.

Q, designates small idler wheels one on each side, which are hung inbearings at the rear of the driving wheels L, and serve to guide thedriving cables into the grooves on said driving wheels.

R designates a pulley on the main shaft of the engine, said pulleycarrying a belt R which passes over a larger pulley R on the shaft ofthe driving wheels L, and by means of which they are driven. 0n the endof the main shaft is a balance wheel R and R is abrake shoe inengagement therewith, said shoe being operated by the bar 1'. By cuttingoif steam and applying the brake, the machine may be stoppedalmostimmediately. By this double arrangement of the driving cables agreater degree of safety is insured, inasmuch as should one cable break,or become so loose as to slip, the remaining one will still keep themachine in operation.

The application of the driving power as above described whereby thecables are caused to run around the peripheries of the outer rims of theframe, is preferred, if not These caessential to the successfuloperation of the device, for the reason that insomuch as the frames areusually made of large diameter, the circumferential series of seats areat a great radial distance from the center. Consequently the applicationof power at any point Within the circumference is not sufficient tooperate the machine when heavily loaded. But by passing the cablesdirectly around the rims between which the seats are suspended, thepower is applied directly to the point where the work is to be done, andall danger of accident arising from the slipping or breaking of gear isobviated.

It is of course necessary that the rims O, C should possess sufficientstrength to insure safety, and at the same time that they should be aslight as possible. They are therefore usually made of wood, andconstructed as follows: The body of each rim is composed of the twoannular rings S, S suitably secured together. In order that the grain ofthe wood forming these rings may run as straight as possible they areeach formed'of the'short segments 3, the joints of the said segments inthe two rings being so located as to overlap each other. To the outersurface of each of these rings is usually secured a thin veneerlike ringS as shown.

.8, s, designate two pieces secured on the rings S, S, and formingbetween them the groove for the cable. By this construction a strong aswell as durable ring is provided. A thin strip .9 may be interposedbetween the rings S, S, and the pieces 5:, s, as shown in Figs. 9 and10, said piece being secured to the rings S, S. This piece serves tobreak the joints between the said rings S, S and s, s, but it mayhowever be omitted, in which case the latter pieces are secured directlyto the frame.

The hub portions T of the wheel in which the radial arms or spokes aresecured, are also usually of special construction, to insure properstrength. The shaft of the wheel usually consists of a squared beam '1",around which the hub portions are secured. The portion 15 of each hub,against which the ends of the spokes rest is shown as formed of foursegments or sections secured around the shaft. Abutting against each endof this portion 5 is a disk U, formed of similar sections, the wholebeing bolted or otherwise secured together. Between these two disks areheld the spokes,

their inner ends abutting against the portion 15, and separated fromeach other by segment wedges 12.

Having described this invention, what I I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a roundabout, the combination of the parallel annular rims, theirbraces, and a peripheral series of cross ties forming suspension rods,the carriages suspended from said rods, the continuous grooves in theperipheries of said rims, and the double parallel driving'cables workingin said grooves, substantially as specified.

2. In a roundabout, the combination of the parallel annular rims, thecontinuous grooves in the peripheral faces of said rims, the doubleparalleldrivingcables working in said grooves, and the series ofcarriages suspended between said rims and cables, substantially asspecified.

3. The combination with the rotary, circular vertical frame, arranged toturn on a horizontal axis, and having grooves in its peripheral rims, ofthe driving gear for said frame, said gear comprising the double drivingcables working in the grooves in said peripheral rims, and actuated bygrooved wheels on the driving shaft, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with the rotary, circular, vertical frame, having theperipheral rims grooved-on their outer edges, of the driving gear forsaid frame, said gear comprising double endless cables working in saidgrooves, the grooved wheels L, L, carrying said cables, one pair foreach cable, and carried by.

a common driving shaft, the idlers and tighteners for said cables, andthe brake device, substantially as specified.

5. In a roundabout comprising a circular rotary frame having the outerparallel rims supported from the hub portion, said rims consisting eachof the following parts; the annular rings S, S, secured together andcomposed each of a series of lap jointed segments, the veneers S and theperipheral pieces .9, s forming the grooves for the driving cables,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. SOMERS.

Witnesses:

CLIFTON C. SHINN, H. F. COGILL.

